Last Wednesday, Kilcullen Mart held its weekly sale, where a special entry of 20 continental cows and calves formed part of a reduction sale.

Trade was steady for weanlings and store cattle, with special interest in the suckler cow pairs.

Overall, there was 130 lots of cattle on offer and these met a clearance rate of 98%.

The top price for the suckler outfits was a 2023-born Limousin-cross cow with her March 2026-born bull calf at foot selling for €4,300.

The cows were mainly all continental-cross, with Limousin and Charolais the main breeds and with spring-born Limousin-cross calves at foot, many of them were born in the month of March.

There was steady interest in the cows and calves, with many of the younger well-bred cows and smart-looking Limousin-cross calves selling for €4,000/pair and over.

Older cows and cows showing less conformation sold from €3,600 up to €4,000.

Good supply of heifers

There was a good supply of heifers weighing between 280kg and 350kg and they met a strong demand from grass buyers, with a number of lots getting close to €5/kg.

The top prices paid for these types was from €4.50/kg up to €5/kg for weanlings born from August 2025 onwards.

Slightly older heifers the same weight and born May and June 2025 were lower in demand, but still crossed over €4/kg, with many not far off €4.50/kg.

Continental bull weanlings met a steady trade after suffering a drop in demand across the country the last three to four weeks.

Top lots were crossing the €4.50/kg mark, with the general run for average-priced lots from €4/kg up to €4.20/kg, with most bulls on offer weighing between 300kg and 400kg.

There was a selection of more dairy-bred cattle on offer and Angus and Hereford-cross bullocks met good demand, selling from €3.70/kg upwards for cattle weighing over 350kg, with store Friesian bullocks slightly lower in price from €3/kg upwards for better-quality lots.